Research Essay Rubric Possible Points: 225 Late?

Research Essay Rubric

Possible Points: 225 Late?
Category Excellent (20-18) Good (17-16) Satisfactory (15-14) Poor (13-12) Unacceptable (11-0)
Purpose
(50 points)

WRITE THIS ESSAY FOR ME

Tell us about your assignment and we will find the best writer for your paper.

Get Help Now!

Points scored in this section:
Instructor:

_________
• Thesis is thought provoking and exceptionally well-conceived.
• Thesis always supported by insightful, relevant material (identifies and analyzes textual evidence to support the writer’s insights.) In this case, the writer uses evidence from the literature and at least 4 critical sourcesto support the writer’s insights. 3 of these sources are about literature directly, and at least one is scholarly.
• Does not stray from thesis.
• Meets all assignment criteria,7-8 pg length, format, citation, and Works Cited page.
• Thesis is thoughtful and well-conceived..
• Thesis almost always supported by relevant material (identifies and analyzes textual evidence to support the writer’s insights.) In this case, the writer uses evidence from the literature and at least 4 critical sourcesto support the writer’s insights. 3 of these sources are about literature directly, and at least one is scholarly.
• Does not stray from thesis.
• Meets all assignment criteria, including 7-8 pglength, format, citation, and Works Cited page.
• Clearly defined, though unremarkable, thesis.
• Thesis usually supported by relevant material (identifies and analyzes textual evidence to support the writer’s insights.) In this case, the writer uses evidence from the literature and at least 4 critical sourcesto support the writer’s insights. 3 of these sources are about literature directly, and at least one is scholarly.
• However, some support, while “adequate,” is weak, thin. This also may occasionally apply to usage of secondary sources.
• Does not stray from thesis.
• Meets all criteria, including 7-8pg length, format, citation, and Works Cited page. However, citation skills may demonstrate a few errors. • Superficial thesis.
• If a thesis is present, it may be inadequately developed or supported. For example, textual support may be rare, and analysis on a surface level; use of 4 critical (3 about literature and at least one scholarly) sources may often not develop writers’ points, but the sources are present and academically appropriate.
• May stray from thesis.
• Does not meet all assignment criteria, including length and format. Citation format may be mostly incorrect; the Works Cited page is present but may be improperly formatted.
• Highly superficial or absent thesis.
• The assignment may not be followed, may be incomplete, or may fail to develop the thesis (ie., the paper almost completely engages in summary rather than analysis; or the paper includes almost or no textual quotation and analysis).
• Paper may use fewer than 4 academically appropriate sources; one or more sources may be academically inappropriate; may not have three sources about literature or a scholarly source.
• Treatment of subject matter may be merely on a surface level—in a word, superficial.
• Does not meet all assignment criteria, including length and format. Citation format may be incorrect; the Works Cited page is present but may be improperly formatted.
Audience
(40 points)

Points scored in this section:

Student:
Instructor:

_________ • Exceptional presentation of ideas to other college-level literature students and teachers.
• Helps the reader come to new, full, and deep understanding of the literature.
• Tone is always reasonable and academic in nature.
• Does not leave unanswered questions such as where, why, what, when, and how.
• All formatting and submission guidelines are followed • Good presentation of ideas to other college-level literature students and teachers.
• Helps the reader come to new understanding of the literature.
• Tone is almost always reasonable and academic in nature.
• May occasionally leave unanswered questions such as where, why, what, when, and how.
• Almost all formatting and submission guidelines are followed • Average presentation of ideas to other college-level literature students and teachers
• Helps the reader come to an understanding of the literature which may not be new or exceptionally original.
• Tone is usually reasonable and academic in nature.
• Sometimes leaves unanswered questions such as where, why, what, when, and how.
• Most formatting and submission guidelines are followed • Weak presentation of ideas to other college-level literature students and teachers.
• May not help the reader come to an understanding of the literature.
• Tone is somewhat unreasonable and non-academic in nature.
• Often leaves unanswered questions such as where, why, what, when, and how.
• Some formatting and submission guidelines are followed • Extremely weak presentation of ideas to other college-level literature students and teachers.
• May not help the reader come to any understanding of the literature.
• Tone is mostly unreasonable and non-academic in nature.
• Frequently leaves unanswered questions such as where, why, what, when, and how
• Few or no formatting and submission guidelines are followed
Develop-ment/
Content
(60 points)

Points scored in this section:

Student:
Instructor:

_________ • Demonstrates superior critical thinking ability. Original ideas are always logical, clearly explained, and fully developed.
• Demonstrates profound, correct understanding of the literature, secondary sources, and larger reasons for writing.
• Always uses specific, relevant examples and analysis to support writer’s insight.
• Always synthesizes primary and secondary sources into a logical and well-supported argument.
• Majority of content is the writer’s own words and ideas; does not engage summary.
• Demonstrates accomplished ability to think critically. Original ideas almost always logical, clearly explained, and fully developed.
• Demonstrates strong, correct understanding of the literature, secondary sources, and larger reasons for writing.
• Nearly always uses specific, relevant examples and analysis to support writer’s insight
• Nearly always synthesizes primary and secondary sources into a logical and well-supported argument.
• Majority of content is the writer’s own words and ideas; does not engage summary. • Demonstrates average critical thinking ability; writer may use broad or even vague generalities in place of precise ideas.
• Demonstrates correct understanding of the literatureand secondary sources but may use some ineffective explanations and analyses.
• Claims are usually supported by specific textual evidence.
• Usually synthesizes primary and secondary sources into a logical argument.
• Majority of content is the writer’s own words and ideas; the writer may engage in occasional summary.
• Demonstrates weak critical thinking; often uses broad or even vague generalities in place of precise ideas.
• Overall command of the literature and/or secondary sources is poor and usually shows that the writer has not thought deeply about his/her subject.
• Claims are generally unsupported by textual evidence and analysis; examples from the textoften lack specificity and relevancy.
• Primary and secondary sources generally not synthesized; may ‘chunk’ secondary sources apart from primary source(s).
• Majority of content may lapse into summary rather than analysis.
• Demonstrates extremely weak critical thinking; precise ideas are not apparent.
• Command of the literature and/or secondary sources is extremely weak or profoundly incorrect.
• Support for claims may not exist, or may be irrelevant or weak.
• Rarely articulates a link between secondary sources and primary source(s).
• Vast majority of content may lapse into summary rather than analysis.

Organi-zation
(50 points)

Points scored in this section:

Student:
Instructor:

_________ • Introduction is captivating.
• Overall pattern of organization is smooth and tight.
• Paragraphs are always unified, coherent, and emphatic.
• Each body paragraph always has a controlling idea (expressed in a topic sentence) that helps further the thesis statement.
• Transitions between sentences and paragraphs are always clear and effective.
• Superior conclusion adds a sense of depth, wholeness, and/or unity. • Introduction is stylistically effective.
• Overall pattern of
organization is clear and smooth.
• Paragraphs almost always unified, coherent, and emphatic.
• Each body paragraph usually has a controlling idea (expressed in a topic sentence) that helps further the thesis statement.
• Transitions between sentences and paragraphs almost always smooth and effective.
• Good conclusion establishes sense of unity. • Introduction is present but may fail to capture the reader’s attention.
• Overall pattern of development may, in a few places, suffer from a lack of clarity and/or logic.
• Paragraphs are sometimes unified and coherent.
• Each body paragraph sometimes has a controlling idea (expressed in a topic sentence) that helps further the thesis statement.
• Transitions between sentences and paragraphs are sometimes smooth and effective.
• Conclusion may be merely serviceable.
• An effort is made to introduce the subject matter, but it is merely perfunctory.
• Ineffective overall organization.
• Paragraphs may lack unity; their organization may be merely mechanical. Transitions may be lacking or (if attempted) ineffective.
• Each body paragraph rarely has a controlling idea (expressed in a topic sentence) that helps further the thesis statement.
• Conclusion is weak and contributes little/repeats introduction. • Introduction may be absent.
• Lacks organization both in total design and paragraph unity, coherence, and/or emphasis.
• Conclusion is extremely weak or may be missing.

Grammar/
Mechanics/
Vocabulary
(25 points)

Points scored in this section:

Student:
Instructor:

_________
• Beyond well-constructed, sentences are always fluent and varied.
• Diction is always fresh and precise; shows careful attention to connotation as well as denotation.
• Free of errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
• Quotations are exceptionally well integrated into sentences.
• Sentences are usually well-constructed, fluent and varied.
• Diction is usually fresh and concise.
• Free of errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
• Quotations are well integrated into sentences; on occasion they may lack smoothness.
• Sentences, while complete, may lack variety or may be choppy. In places, phrases may be awkwardly positioned. follows the conventions of standard written U.S. English
• While generally satisfactory, diction may suffer from wordiness, awkwardness, clichés, and inexactness.
• Is substantially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. What errors are present must not impede meaning nor overly distract the reader.
• Quotations are integrated into sentences but may lack smoothness; occasional ‘quote dropping’ may occur. • Sentences may be awkwardly composed or repetitious in both type and length.
• Diction may not be precise or appropriate.
• May be cluttered by technical errors in grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. Spelling errors may become a frequent distraction.
• Often, the paper appears not to have been proofread.
• Quotations may not be integrated into sentences; ‘quote dropping’ may occur often. • Sentences may be disunified, incomplete, or otherwise incoherent.
• Uncertainty, confusion, and lack of clarity in its diction.
• May contain serious errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling that impede reader understanding.
• The paper appears not to have been proofread.
• Quotations may not be integrated into sentences; ‘quote dropping’ may frequently occur.
• Errors in MLA citation automatically deduct 10 points
• Formatting Errors deduct 5 points • • • •

Student comments:

Instructor comments: